Shinai kendo is not a combat simulation. If we look at the prehistory of kendo in the middle of the Edo period, shinai uchikomi keiko emerged in the jikishinkage ryu as a corrective measure for "dead kata". The point was to correct the spirit while performing kata. Whether kendo kata, and its modern culture constitute a viable martial tradition is a different question. Since it is impossible to simulate fear of the blade, maybe with dedicated roleplayers but never with topsporters, it is unclear to me that it is desirable to fence in a gamified combat simulation.
That history makes a lot of sense. Watching someone perform a kata vs a sparring match has very different intensity and ways they move. I’ve found that doing both the Kara (reinforcing structure, “good technique”, and muscle conditioning) and sparring (reaction, “application of technique”, and opponent observation) generally improve someone as a martial artist as a whole. Whether or not gamified fighting is desirable, it depends for me what someone is trying to get out of it. It could be learning to perform under pressure, test the validity of a technique, or simply have fun. Personally, I think in most cases some sort of sparring or application is better than none, even if we can’t simulate the fear and true danger of a real fight.
@@TheSwordLynx I have to say, and it took me a few days to appreciate this, you criticise doubles in kendo fairly and accurately: who ever struck more beautifully. Most critiques of the kendo point system seem to come from someone who may have watched an ippon compilation and missed all of the doubles which were thrown out, or heard it from an unreliable source somewhere that points go to whoever touched first. The rules are as stated: """ Article 12: Datotsu in the following cases shall not be valid: 1. Ai-uchi. 2. As the datotsu is made, the attacker is checked at the upper - front body by the tip of the recipient’s shinai, who is in high spirits and in the right posture. """ However the guidelines for adjudicating these rules are: """ It is easy to conclude that techniques are invalid if executed at the same time (aiuchi). Shinpan-in should understand and act in accordance with the notion that there is no such thing as aiuchi. """ Thus the shinpan (jury) are encouraged to act as though the less beautiful did not satisfy our strict yuko datotsu (valid strike) criteria. This seems to be an application of the mythology of kiriotoshi, the signature technique of the itto-ryu family of styles: - how only one sword can occupy the true center line. - how the ideal of kiriotoshi is to cut through the opponents technique so the opponent has shini tachi (dead sword) and their intention fails.
This could also be their countermeasure to it becoming more of whacking fest that’s all about speed rather than technique. My brain agrees that technically if someone does hold center, the other cannot, meaning doubling would mean neither truly held center. I don’t hate that the point goes to the “better technique” side. It is a martial “art” so to speak. As much as I have some grumbling about kendo, I learned a massive amount from my years with it. I was also blessed with an incredible Sensei.
Shinai kendo is not a combat simulation.
If we look at the prehistory of kendo in the middle of the Edo period, shinai uchikomi keiko emerged in the jikishinkage ryu as a corrective measure for "dead kata". The point was to correct the spirit while performing kata.
Whether kendo kata, and its modern culture constitute a viable martial tradition is a different question.
Since it is impossible to simulate fear of the blade, maybe with dedicated roleplayers but never with topsporters, it is unclear to me that it is desirable to fence in a gamified combat simulation.
That history makes a lot of sense. Watching someone perform a kata vs a sparring match has very different intensity and ways they move. I’ve found that doing both the Kara (reinforcing structure, “good technique”, and muscle conditioning) and sparring (reaction, “application of technique”, and opponent observation) generally improve someone as a martial artist as a whole. Whether or not gamified fighting is desirable, it depends for me what someone is trying to get out of it. It could be learning to perform under pressure, test the validity of a technique, or simply have fun. Personally, I think in most cases some sort of sparring or application is better than none, even if we can’t simulate the fear and true danger of a real fight.
@@TheSwordLynx I have to say, and it took me a few days to appreciate this, you criticise doubles in kendo fairly and accurately: who ever struck more beautifully.
Most critiques of the kendo point system seem to come from someone who may have watched an ippon compilation and missed all of the doubles which were thrown out, or heard it from an unreliable source somewhere that points go to whoever touched first.
The rules are as stated:
"""
Article 12: Datotsu in the following cases shall not be valid:
1. Ai-uchi.
2. As the datotsu is made, the attacker is checked at the upper - front body by the tip of the recipient’s shinai, who is in high spirits and in the right posture.
"""
However the guidelines for adjudicating these rules are:
"""
It is easy to conclude that techniques are invalid if executed at the same time (aiuchi). Shinpan-in should understand and act in accordance with the notion that there is no such thing as aiuchi.
"""
Thus the shinpan (jury) are encouraged to act as though the less beautiful did not satisfy our strict yuko datotsu (valid strike) criteria. This seems to be an application of the mythology of kiriotoshi, the signature technique of the itto-ryu family of styles:
- how only one sword can occupy the true center line.
- how the ideal of kiriotoshi is to cut through the opponents technique so the opponent has shini tachi (dead sword) and their intention fails.
This could also be their countermeasure to it becoming more of whacking fest that’s all about speed rather than technique. My brain agrees that technically if someone does hold center, the other cannot, meaning doubling would mean neither truly held center. I don’t hate that the point goes to the “better technique” side. It is a martial “art” so to speak. As much as I have some grumbling about kendo, I learned a massive amount from my years with it. I was also blessed with an incredible Sensei.